The Right to Advocate for Change. The First Amendment
to the U.S. Constitution protects the rights of groups and individuals who
advocate changes in laws, government practices, and even the form of government.The Right to Remain Silent. The Fifth Amendment of the Constitution
provides that every person has the right to remain silent in the face of questions
posed by any police officer or government agent. The Right to be Free from "Unreasonable Searches and Seizures."
The Fourth Amendment is supposed to protect your privacy. Without a warrant,
no government agent is allowed to search your home or office and you can refuse
to let them in. Know, however, that it is easy for the government to monitor
your telephone calls, conversations in your office, home, car, or meeting
place, as well as mail. E-mail is particularly insecure. The government has
already begun stepping up its monitoring of e-mails.

CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS CANNOT BE SUSPENDED -- EVEN DURING
A STATE OF EMERGENCY OR WARTIME.

What should I do if agents come to question
me?

1. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO TALK TO THE POLICE, FBI, INS, OR ANY
OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENT OR INVESTIGATOR. Other than providing your
name and address to a police officer who is investigating a crime, you are
not legally obligated to talk to anyone: on the street, at your home or office,
if you've been arrested, or even if you're in jail. Only a judge has the legal
authority to order you to answer questions.

2. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO LET POLICE OR OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENTS INTO YOUR HOME OR OFFICE UNLESS THEY HAVE A SEARCH WARRANT OR ARREST
WARRANT. Demand to see the warrant. The warrant must specifically describe
the place to be searched and the things to be seized. If they have a warrant,
you cannot stop them from entering and searching, but you should still tell
them that you do not consent to a search. This will limit them to the scope
of the search authorized by the warrant.

3. IF THEY DO PRESENT A WARRANT, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO MONITOR
THEIR SEARCH AND ACTIVITIES. You have the right to observe what they do.
You have the right to ask them for their names and titles. Take written notes
including their names, badge numbers, and what agency they are from. Have
your friends who are present act as witnesses. Give this information to your
lawyer. A warrant does not give the government the right to question, nor
does it obligate you to answer questions.

4. IF THE POLICE OR FBI OR INS OR ANYONE ELSE TRIES TO QUESTION
YOU OR TRIES TO ENTER YOUR HOME WITHOUT A WARRANT, JUST SAY NO! Police
and other law enforcement agents are very skilled at getting information from
people. Many people are afraid that if they refuse to cooperate, it will
appear as if they have something to hide. Don't be fooled. The police
are allowed to (and do) lie to you. Although agents may seem nice and pretend
to be on your side, they are likely to be intent on learning about the habits,
opinions, and affiliations of people not suspected of wrongdoing, with the
end goal of stopping political activity with which the government disagrees.
Trying to answer agents' questions, or trying to "educate them"
about your cause can be very dangerous. You can never tell how a seemingly
harmless bit of information that you give them might be used and misconstrued
to hurt you or someone else. And keep in mind that lying to a federal agent
is a crime.

5. IF YOU ARE STOPPED ON THE STREET, ASK IF YOU ARE FREE
TO GO. If you are stopped by the police, ask them why. If they do not
have a good reason for stopping you, or if you find yourself chatting for
more than a minute, ask "Am I under arrest, or am I free to go?"
If they do not state that you are under arrest, tell them that you do not
wish to continue speaking with them and that you are going to go about your
business. Then do so.

6. ANYTHING YOU SAY TO THE POLICE, FBI, INS, ETC. WILL BE
USED AGAINST YOU AND OTHERS. Once you've been arrested, you cannot talk
your way out of it! Don't try to engage the cops in dialogue or respond to
their accusations.

7. THE FBI MAY THREATEN YOU WITH A GRAND JURY SUBPOENA IF
YOU DON'T TALK TO THEM. They may give you a subpoena anyway, so anything
you tell them may permit them to ask you more detailed questions later. You
may also have legal grounds to refuse to answer questions before a grand jury.
If you are given a grand jury subpoena, you should call a lawyer or the National
Lawyers Guild immediately. Tell your friends and movement groups about the
subpoena and discuss how to respond. Do not try to deal with this alone.

8. IF YOU ARE NERVOUS ABOUT SIMPLY REFUSING TO TALK, TELL
THEM TO CONTACT YOUR LAWYER. They should stop trying to question you once
you announce your desire to consult a lawyer. You do not have to already have
one. Remember to get the name, agency, and telephone number of any investigator
who visits you, and contact the National Lawyers Guild for help getting a
lawyer.

9. In California, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE 3 FREE LOCAL
TELEPHONE CALLS within three hours of your arrest on state charges if
you are booked into jail. You have a right to call a lawyer, a bail bondsperson,
and a friend or relative. If arrested by federal authorities, you also have
a right to a phone call. Demand to make those calls.

How should I respond to threatening letters or calls?

If your home or office is broken into, or threats have been
made against you, your organization, or someone you work with, share this
information with everyone affected. Take immediate steps to increase personal
and office security. You should discuss with your organization and with a
lawyer whether and how to report such incidents to the police and the advisability
of taking other legal action. If you decide to make a report, do not do so
without a lawyer present.

What if I suspect surveillance?

Prudence is the best course, no matter who you suspect, or what
the basis of your suspicion. Do not hesitate to confront suspected agents
politely, in public, with at least one other person present, and inquire about
their business. If the suspect declines to answer, he or she at least now
knows that you are aware of the surveillance. If you suspect government agents
are monitoring you, or are harassing you, report this to the National Lawyers
Guild.

What if I am not a citizen?

1. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO REVEAL YOUR IMMIGRATION STATUS. We
cannot count on the police to honor local sanctuary ordinances, and the fact
that the INS obtained your name in violation of a sanctuary ordinance will
NOT prevent you from being deported.

2. FOREIGN NATIONALS WHO ARE ARRESTED IN THE U.S. HAVE THE
RIGHT TO CALL YOUR CONSULATE or to have the police inform your consulate
of your arrest. The police must allow your consul to visit or speak with you.
Your consul might assist you in finding a lawyer or offer other help, such
as contacting your family. You also have the right to refuse help from your
consulate.

3. DO NOT TALK TO THE INS, EVEN ON THE PHONE, before
talking to an immigration lawyer. Many INS officers view "enforcement,"
meaning deporting people, as their primary job. They do not believe that explaining
immigration options is part of their job, and most will readily admit this.
(Noncitizens who are victims of domestic abuse should speak with an expert
in both immigration law and domestic violence.) A noncitizen should always
speak with an immigration law expert before speaking to the INS either in
person or by telephone.

4. KNOW AND ASSERT YOUR RIGHTS!All noncitizens have the following
rights, regardless of your immigration status:
a. The right to speak to an attorney before answering any questions or signing
any documents;
b. The right to a hearing with an Immigration Judge;
c. The right to have an attorney at that hearing and in any interview with
INS (however you do not have the right to a free, government-paid lawyer);
and
d. The right to request release from detention, by paying a bond if necessary.Noncitizens must assert these rights. If you do not demand these rights,
you can be deported without seeing either an attorney or a judge. Leaving
the U.S. in this way may have serious consequences for your ability to later
enter or to gain legal immigration status in the U.S.

5. TALK TO AN IMMIGRATION LAWYER BEFORE LEAVING THE U.S.
Anyone not a U.S. citizen may be barred from coming back to the U.S. if they
fall into certain categories of people barred from entering. This includes
some lawful permanent residents and applicants for green cards. Some noncitizens
that have been in the U.S. without INS permission may be permanently barred
from re-entering. In addition, some noncitizens that leave the US and return
with INS permission may be swiftly removed from the U.S. if they end up in
immigration proceedings.